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ANGELIC UPSTARTS formed in 1977 in South Shields, North-East England. Influenced by bands such as The Clash and The Sex Pistols, The ANGELIC UPSTARTS are a meeting of working class ideology and musical aspiration, with strong anti-fascist views. The original line up consisted of Mensi (vocals), Mond (guitar), Steve Forsten (bass) and Decca Wade (drums).
Mensi was always liable to provoke reaction, his lyrics making much of his working class roots, and lashing out at police and politicians. The ANGELIC UPSTARTS launched their punk crusade with the independently released single 'The Murder of Liddle Towers' in 1978. The band paid for the recording and pressing of 500 singles which they released themselves and sold at gigs and local record shops. The single was then picked up by Small Wonder Records who released it nationally. Its attack on police brutality earned them an early patron in Sham 69's Jimmy Pursey, who chased a similar constituency of disaffected working-class fans. The band then signed to Warner Brothers, Pursey producing the L.P. "Teenage Warning" (1979). ANGELIC UPSTARTS's wholehearted delivery coupled with their denunciation of racism - a particularly admirable stance at a time when other "skinhead bands", were flirting with right wing elements - made the album a classic. With the UK hit singles, 'I'm An Upstart' and 'Teenage Warning'(both 1979), they focused on the plight of the working class.
ANGELIC UPSTARTS went on to release a number of successful albums and minor hit singles before splitting in 1983. Angel Dust (The Collected Highs, 1983) was a useful compilation of their best early work. The band has reformed and split a number of times over the years and some of the ex members include...Ronnie Wooden, Glyn Warren, Tony Feedback, Ronnie Rocker and Max Splodge who also had a stint playing drums. Other members have included Sticks (who later joined The Cockney Rejects), Paul Thompson (ex Roxy Music) and Chris White.
The current ANGELIC UPSTARTS line up is Mensi - Vocals, Dickie Hammond (Leatherface/Dipsomaniacs) - Guitar, Neil Newton (Dipsomaniacs) - Guitar, Gaz Stoker (Red London/Dipsomaniacs) - Bass, and Andrew Laing (Cockney Rejects) Drums. This line up will record six new ANGELIC UPSTARTSs songs, co wrote by Mensi and Neil. This will be the first material to be recorded in over a decade and will feature on an Angelic Upstarts/Crashed Out split album, due to be released on the I Hate People record label.
